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Construction starts on next phase of giant wind farm rising in South Africa’s coal heartland

The third 155-MW phase of Seriti Green’s giant Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Farm, which is visibly changing the electricity landscape in South Africa’s coal heartland of Mpumalanga, has entered into construction after advancing to financial close. Seriti Green is majority owned by Seriti Resources, a black-owned coal mining company, with large operations in the province that supply coal to Eskom’s Kriel, Tutuka, Lethabo, Kendal and Duvha power stations, as well as some export markets.
October 14, 2025 by

Westbrooke acquires solar portfolio across 91 Shell Downstream South Africa service stations

Westbrooke Renewable Energy Alternatives (Westbrooke Real), an alternative investment strategy managed by Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management, has acquired a portfolio of operational solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) assets located at 91 Shell Downstream South Africa- (SDSA-) owned service stations across South Africa. The portfolio was bought alongside one of Westbrooke Real’s partners, CVE South Africa, an experienced independent power producer. The assets were acquired from Thebe Solar Energy, which exited its position as part of a strategic realignment.
October 13, 2025 by

BLSA welcomes Eskom’s return to profitability, but notes persisting challenges

State-owned Eskom’s return to profitability for the first time in eight years, with a profit before tax of R23.9-billion for the 2025 financial year, offers some welcome positive news for the power utility and the broader economy, business organisation Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso highlights in her latest weekly newsletter. The significant reduction in loadshedding this year has improved electricity supply reliability and boosted Eskom’s revenue owing to lower spending on diesel-based open-cycle gas turbines, she points out, adding that the utility’s turnaround was supported by over 350 private sector experts mobilised by the National Electricity Crisis Committee.
October 13, 2025 by

IPP body to meet Eskom on grid-access concerns after alerting competition body to the potential …

The South African Independent Power Producer Association (SAIPPA) expects to meet with Eskom later this month to discuss its concern that the State-owned entity’s proposed renewables projects may not be subjected to the same grid-access rules that are currently applied to independent power producers (IPPs). The association has also written to the Competition Commission highlighting the risk for market-dominance abuse should Eskom be allowed to bypass the prevailing Interim Grid Connection Allocation Rules (IGCAR) when moving to develop new renewables assets in close proximity to coal stations that are scheduled for retirement in the coming years.
October 13, 2025 by

IPP Office insists ITP criteria ‘not exclusionary’ as local industry raises procurement …

A joint letter sent to the Independent Power Producer Office (IPP Office) on September 23 by organisations representing local industry, raised several concerns about the prequalification process launched ahead of the inaugural Independent Transmission Project (ITP) procurement programme. In the letter, the Powerline and Substation Association, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa and the Manufacturing Circle described the technical and financial criteria included …
October 13, 2025 by

Energy equipment provider returning to Electra Mining in 2026

Having participated in Electra Mining Africa 2024 (EMA24), energy equipment and solutions provider CHINT, will be returning to the trade show in 2026, to connect with industry stakeholders, showcase its latest innovations, and strengthen its brand presence in the region, says CHINT regional sales director Burt Lei. “EMA presents a remarkable opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to innovation and sustainability in the energy sector. Our smart energy solutions are designed to meet the evolving needs of our customers and contribute to a more sustainable future. Building on this momentum, we are excited to return in 2026 to engage with an even broader audience, highlight our expanded product portfolio, and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to empowering Africa’s industrial and energy sectors.”
October 10, 2025 by

Valterra Platinum already exploring Mogalakwena’s underground potential

In the wake of separating its assets from former parent company Anglo American, platinum group metals (PGMs) mining company Valterra Platinum is setting the stage to further develop one of its most significant endowments, the Mogalakwena mine, in South Africa’s Limpopo province. Mogalakwena mine, “a mine within communities”, is nestled among 64 villages 30 km north-west of Mokopane. It is home to vast volumes of PGMs, with only 14% of the total reserve extracted over the past 30 years.
October 10, 2025 by

Infrastructure Fund secures R550m grant for Jhb waste-to-energy project

The Infrastructure Fund, a blended finance platform created through a partnership between the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), the National Treasury and Infrastructure South Africa, has secured a R550-million grant from Invest International to support the implementation of the City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ’s) Alternative Waste Treatment Technology (AWTT) project. Valued at about R5.7-billion, the AWTT project marks a significant milestone in South Africa’s transition towards sustainable waste management and renewable energy.
October 9, 2025 by

Salga says Eskom’s proposed distribution agency agreements put municipal mandates at risk

The South African Local Government Association (Salga) has warned that Eskom’s proposal to implement distribution agency agreements (DAAs) to curb growing municipal debt to the utility could be perceived as a backdoor takeover of municipal electricity distribution functions. Eskom outgoing CFO Calib Cassiem earlier this month proposed the use of DAAs and prepaid supply models as possible solutions to the growing municipal debt problem.
October 9, 2025 by